Various appliances and methods are used for the purpose of vacuum packaging and sealing plastic bags and containers to protect perishables, such as foodstuffs, and other products against oxidation. Typically, these vacuum and sealing appliances use a heat sealing element to form a seal at the open end of the container being sealed. The container may even be evacuated of excess moisture and air through the use of a vacuum pump prior to heat sealing to minimize the spoiling effects of oxygen on food. However, excess food and moisture that was not fully evacuated in proximity to the seal area on the storage container may inhibit sealing and lead to poor seal quality. Further, using two heat sealing elements to form two seals adjacent one another in proximity to the open end of the container still suffer from the drawback that excess food and moisture not evacuated in the seal area inhibits proper sealing. Thus, the need exists for improved machine sealing of a food storage container in the proximity of the seal area adjacent the open end of the container where excess food and moisture inhibits proper machine sealing.